keyboarded 1.0.0

Hook and simulate keyboard events on Windows and Linux

keyboard

Take full control of your keyboard with this small Python library. Hook global events, register hotkeys, simulate key presses and much more.

Features

• Global event hook on all keyboards (captures keys regardless of focus).
• Listen and send keyboard events.
• Works with Windows and Linux (requires sudo), with experimental OS X support (thanks @glitchassassin!).
• Pure Python, no C modules to be compiled.
• Zero dependencies. Trivial to install and deploy, just copy the files.
• Python 2 and 3.
• Complex hotkey support (e.g. ctrl+shift+m, ctrl+space) with controllable timeout.
• Includes high level API (e.g. record and play, add_abbreviation).
• Maps keys as they actually are in your layout, with full internationalization support (e.g. Ctrl+ç).
• Events automatically captured in separate thread, doesn't block main program.
• Tested and documented.
• Doesn't break accented dead keys (I'm looking at you, pyHook).
• Mouse support available via project mouse (pip install mouse).

Usage

Install the PyPI package:

pip install keyboard

or clone the repository (no installation required, source files are sufficient):

git clone https://github.com/boppreh/keyboard

or download and extract the zip into your project folder.

Then check the API docs below to see what features are available.

Example

Use as library:

import keyboard

keyboard.press_and_release('shift+s, space')

keyboard.write('The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.')

keyboard.add_hotkey('ctrl+shift+a', print, args=('triggered', 'hotkey'))

# Press PAGE UP then PAGE DOWN to type "foobar".
keyboard.add_hotkey('page up, page down', lambda: keyboard.write('foobar'))

# Blocks until you press esc.
keyboard.wait('esc')

# Record events until 'esc' is pressed.
recorded = keyboard.record(until='esc')
# Then replay back at three times the speed.
keyboard.play(recorded, speed_factor=3)

# Type @@ then press space to replace with abbreviation.
keyboard.add_abbreviation('@@', '[e-mail]')

# Block forever, like `while True`.
keyboard.wait()

Use as standalone module:

# Save JSON events to a file until interrupted:
python -m keyboard > events.txt

cat events.txt
# {"event_type": "down", "scan_code": 25, "name": "p", "time": 1622447562.2994788, "is_keypad": false}
# {"event_type": "up", "scan_code": 25, "name": "p", "time": 1622447562.431007, "is_keypad": false}
# ...

# Replay events
python -m keyboard < events.txt

Known limitations:

• Events generated under Windows don't report device id (event.device == None). #21
• Media keys on Linux may appear nameless (scan-code only) or not at all. #20
• Key suppression/blocking only available on Windows. #22
• To avoid depending on X, the Linux parts reads raw device files (/dev/input/input*) but this requires root.
• Other applications, such as some games, may register hooks that swallow all key events. In this case keyboard will be unable to report events.
• This program makes no attempt to hide itself, so don't use it for keyloggers or online gaming bots. Be responsible.
• SSH connections forward only the text typed, not keyboard events. Therefore if you connect to a server or Raspberry PI that is running keyboard via SSH, the server will not detect your key events.

Common patterns and mistakes

Preventing the program from closing

import keyboard
keyboard.add_hotkey('space', lambda: print('space was pressed!'))
# If the program finishes, the hotkey is not in effect anymore.

# Don't do this! This will use 100% of your CPU.
#while True: pass

# Use this instead
keyboard.wait()

# or this
import time
while True:
    time.sleep(1000000)

Waiting for a key press one time

import keyboard

# Don't do this! This will use 100% of your CPU until you press the key.
#
#while not keyboard.is_pressed('space'):
#    continue
#print('space was pressed, continuing...')

# Do this instead
keyboard.wait('space')
print('space was pressed, continuing...')

Repeatedly waiting for a key press

import keyboard

# Don't do this!
#
#while True:
#    if keyboard.is_pressed('space'):
#        print('space was pressed!')
#
# This will use 100% of your CPU and print the message many times.

# Do this instead
while True:
    keyboard.wait('space')
    print('space was pressed! Waiting on it again...')

# or this
keyboard.add_hotkey('space', lambda: print('space was pressed!'))
keyboard.wait()

Invoking code when an event happens

import keyboard

# Don't do this! This will call `print('space')` immediately then fail when the key is actually pressed.
#keyboard.add_hotkey('space', print('space was pressed'))

# Do this instead
keyboard.add_hotkey('space', lambda: print('space was pressed'))

# or this
def on_space():
    print('space was pressed')
keyboard.add_hotkey('space', on_space)

# or this
while True:
    # Wait for the next event.
    event = keyboard.read_event()
    if event.event_type == keyboard.KEY_DOWN and event.name == 'space':
        print('space was pressed')

'Press any key to continue'

# Don't do this! The `keyboard` module is meant for global events, even when your program is not in focus.
#import keyboard
#print('Press any key to continue...')
#keyboard.get_event()

# Do this instead
input('Press enter to continue...')

# Or one of the suggestions from here
# https://stackoverflow.com/questions/983354/how-to-make-a-script-wait-for-a-pressed-key